No Bickering: 2015 Nissan Murano As Marriage Saver?

2015 Nissan Murano
Quintessential New England fall scene: changing leaves at an apple orchard. Credit: Judy Antell for AGirlsGuidetoCars

 2015 Nissan Murano makes drivers and passengers happy.

How a couple divides driving is often a reflection of the relationship. Before the advent of navigation systems, the map reader rode shotgun while the other person drove. And if a car is uncomfortable to drive, an argument can ensue over who will be stuck driving.

My favorite example of this is in the movie Drugstore Cowboy, when Kelly Lynch complains about her boyfriend’s lack of interest in romance, adding, “and I always have to drive.”

2015 Nissan Murano
Comfortable seats make driving painless.

When my husband and I face a long day of driving, we usually like to split it up, so neither of us gets tight shoulders or an aching back. But our end game after a long day recently – driving from our home in Brooklyn to see our oldest daughter (and the car we loaned her) in Northampton, Massachusetts then off to a coastal resort in Saybrook, Connecticut – was a couples massage. I wanted to drive the whole time, so I that I would really require that massage.

Friends, I didn’t need it.

2015 Nissan Murano
The large armrest gives both driver and passenger space

Not that I refused the massage, mind you. Of course, like any sane person, I am always up for a professional massage. But the 2015 Nissan Murano’s zero gravity seats, lined in soft leather, and lumbar support, made me feel like I’d been in an easy chair all day. And with safety features at my fingertips, there was never a need to crane my neck. I was halfway to bliss even before I hit the massage table.

2015 Nissan Murano
On the way to the dog sitter; she would have been happier coming along.

Slight chill in the air? Not a problem, with heated seats. And this is another feature that can make couples happy; typically, one person runs hotter than the other and climate control becomes an issue. The Murano has dual controls, along with the heated seats, so both of you will find your perfect temperature.

Safety features make life easy

2015 Nissan Murano
The blind spot alert offers a clear visual aid.

The 2015 Nissan Murano is loaded with safety features like blind spot warning and rear cross traffic alert. These are orange buttons that light up when there is an approaching car, so if you are driving in heavy traffic, you can relax knowing the vehicle has your back. An around view monitor makes parking or pulling out of a spot easy.

Navigation system: throw away your maps

2015 Nissan Murano
The navigation screen is clear and easy to use.

The eight inch touchscreen is easy to see, and when you have it in map mode, an icon tells you the speed limit. A ding gives you the heads up when you have an upcoming turn, and it does so at just the right moment so that you can actually make the turn, instead of realizing a split second too late that you have missed your exit.

You can add addresses easily manually, or through voice recognition, and search for points of interest nearby, or near your destination.

NissanConnect so you never need to be out of touch

2015 Nissan Murano
We listened to Sirius XM but could have easily streamed music.

Nissan’s infotainment system pairs with iPhones or Android phones, letting you use apps like Pandora, Facebook and Google. This means you don’t need to pay for a Sirius XM subscription to get great tunes while you drive. The Murano I drove had Sirius already included, so I did use that; it sounds great with the premium speakers. The Nissan onnect also lets you text hands-free and stream music via Bluetooth.

Plenty of space, for people and packages

We had just two passengers for most of our ride, though we did take a short drive with our daughter to an apple orchard. The ample trunk held our weekend bags, plus an extra suitcase of winter items my daughter had left behind. And we were able to load up on apples, plus produce from a farm stand. The second row can be folded down in a 60/40 split if you are transporting bulky items.

There’s no heavy lifting with the power liftgate either; the touch button opening and closure avoids any strain.

WHAT WE LOVED

  • NissanConnect infotainment and navigation system
  • Easy to use voice recognition system
  • Bluetooth audio streaming
  • Intelligent cruise control
  • All wheel drive
  • Countdown fuel range so you know when to fill up
  • Very comfortable heated front seats
  • Tons of legroom in the second row
  • Panoramic moonroof – second seat passengers get plenty of light
  • Two USB ports and three DC power ports

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

  • Base price for SL model $38,550; price of the model we tested, with tech package and moonroof, $41,905
  • Seating for 5, comfortably
  • Fuel economy: 21 mpg city/28mpg highway, 24 combined
  • Uses regular fuel

Note: Nissan loaned me the Murano for the purposes of this review. Opinions expressed are my own.

Judy Antell
Judy Antell

Judy Antell, who is TravelingMom.com's Free in 50 States editor, lives in Park Slope, Brooklyn, with her husband and three daughters. Between road trips to visit colleges, travel sports and seeing East Coast sights, she spends a lot of time on the road for a city girl.

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